Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1887-11-26
COMPLETELY sQUELCHED.
A Trench..nt Reply to the Editor of
the Montana Wool Grower-Mon-
tana not all Arid Region Put
Un or Shut Up.

Editor Tribune. The editor OF the
Montana Wool Grower wakes furious over
the order of commissioner Sparks regard
ing desert land entries in this part of Mon
tana, as would appear by his recent letter
to the River Press. 1t is extremely doubt
full if the citizens of Great Falls will be
able to withstand the attacks of this cham
pion of wit and sarcasm.
!; Before discussing some of the points
which are agitating the brain of this
shepherd of Montana, let us refer to that
.sGreat Falls epidemic known as going to
be-" and see what it has done within the
past year, s'to secure footing as Mon
tana city," The people OF Great Falls
said, year ago, that there was "going to
be. a railroad completed to their town
from the east this fall, and the railroad is
now h. re- They stated that there Was
"going to be" railroad from Helena to
, Great Falls this year, and the gentle
shepherd himself rode over the line only
few days ago. They stated that arailroad
NOulu Ut 4COI fJ1CtCd Ii 0LA SAStse L aAAS w
Sand Coulee this year, and the way the
work is being pushed by several hundred
men, shows that Greet Falls people know
what they are talking about. They said that
Great Falls would have two bridges across
the Missouri river the present winter, and
already the piers of the wagon bridge are
partially completed, and the iron super
structure is all ready to ship from San
Francisco. The other, or the Manitoba
bridge, has all been framed and will be
put in place within 80 days, so state the
engineers of the Manitoba road. The peo-
pie of Great Falls and vicinity said there
was 'sgoing to be- new county to be
called Cascade, the county seat OF which
would be Great Falls, and We need not
remind the literary head of the sheep bus
iaess of Montana, that the measure was
carried in spite of his opposition. Now,
submit to this great promoter OF the
sheep interest, that we did not mlslead
people much the past year in stating what
was agoing to be-" We feel rather proud
of the record for Great Falls SO far.
What has transpired at this place the first
year would really seem to indicate that
Great Falls is ''going to be- sometime Il
'sMontana city," notwithstanding the oft
repeated declaration of the wise editor of
the Wool Grower that an important town
never could be built at the falls of the
Missouri.
It is we'll understood here that the
lands of Sun river valley from the cross
ing to Great Falls will not grow crops to
any extent, without irrigation. There is but
a small portion of this area of valley land
presume it was for this reason that the
commissioner did not withhold this part
of the valley from desert land entries.
The oldest and one of the most experienced
farmers of Sun river valley told me sever
al years ago that while that valley requir
ed irrigation for successful farming, he
was positive from his knowledge of the
bench lands that they would produce ex-
cellent crops without irrigation, as the
SOL of Sun river valley is heavy, with more
or less adobe or clay on its surface, while
the soil of the prairies or bench lands, is
sandy loan of from is inches to two feet
in thickness, underlatd By c1ay, which con
stitutes the world over the very best wheat
land.
WooIgrower wants to know the ranch
mans name who lived within 90 miles of
Great Falls and raised paying crops on
bench lands. l answer A. J. Vance, at
2s- Mile house, dSmiIes from Great Falls)
who raised for 3 consecutive years, oats
averaging from so 70 10 bushels to the
acre. His field was on the tableiand $50 |
feet higher than Great Falls. Laying
aside the large yields of wheat the pres
ent season on two or three hundred acres |
of bench lands within 6 miles of this |
place, I would inform the Wool Grower
editor that last year, The. driest 1qo,ea in 10
gears, w. P. Wren raised on bench land
4 miles from town, from so to 40 bushels
on old ground yielded from II to Is bush
els to the acre. It is true this was small /
yield, but it was much larger than the
average yield in Minnesota the same
year.
Newton Shepard whom the WoolgroW-
er knows very we'll, and a farmer of great
experience, has told me repeatedly that |
he believes the bench lands of this part of
Montana will grow one year with another,
large crops of wheat without irrigation,
aud that when he had to start another
farm he would go upon the bench lands
between his place on Highwood and Great
Falls, or between his place and Benton. /
can name many other experienced farmers
in this section who will confirm Mr..
shepard's opinion. Anyone who has liv
ed in northern Montana the past eight or
nine wears ana who has carefully eyamim- T